Mott Haven Cocktail

The Mott Haven cocktail is a variation on the Bronx, a blend of gin, vermouth, and orange juice. “Created” early February. I say “created” because I really doubt I’m the first person to vary the recipe in this way. Mott Haven is a beautiful neighborhood in the south Bronx, currently popular with the artist/musician/bohunk crowd.

Jen is allergic to fresh oranges and orange juice, but she can drink margaritas and sidecars. Triple sec, Cointreau, and other orange liqueurs are okay for her in small quantities, provided they’re diluted with other ingredients, so I killed the orange and used a combo of triple sec and lemon juice in its place. I added lemon juice because triple sec alone seemed like it might be too strong. Also, because fresh orange juice is such a crucial part of the original Bronx recipe, I wanted the bite of fresh citrus.

Gary Regan’s recipe for the Bronx was my base recipe, so if you’re a Regan fan, the proportions will sound familiar. Regan uses orange bitters in his drink, and I also “borrowed” the Angostura bitters from the Income Tax cocktail.

Having tried both the Bronx and the Mott Haven, I actually prefer the latter.

Mott Haven Cocktail

2 oz. Boodles gin

¼ oz. Martini & Rossi dry vermouth*

¼ oz. Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth*

½ oz. Van Gogh Triple Sec Superieur

½ oz. lemon juice

Regan’s orange bitters, to taste

Angostura bitters, to taste

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

*No particular reason for the Martini & Rossi. It’s just what we had on hand. One near-term goal of mine is to experiment with other brands of vermouth.